“Today is the day,’ said a little boy to his Mom who was smiling as she packed a lunch for the little guy.  Jesus was traveling across the Sea of Galilee to visit their town, and today was the day the boy was hoping to see Him.

The little boy was not the only person looking for a chance to see this man; everyone was talking about it.  Swelling by the number, there were thousands of people making there way to where Jesus was debarking from a boat, and even more following Him to where he stopped on a hillside to address them. Everyone had a story to tell — one spoke about how this Jesus caused blind people to see, and another was leaping for joy that he could walk again.

Catching up with the crowd, the little boy sat down on the lawn, pulled out his lunch, and began munching on it when he overheard one of the men traveling with Jesus complain, “The boss wants us to feed everybody.  Now, you tell me, how are we going  to pull this off?” It was Phillip, one of the disciples. In constant need of monitoring his money, Phillip pulled out from his jean pocket a few coins and cried, “I don’t have that kind of money to buy food for everyone! And there isn’t a grocery store for miles around, and, besides, it’s Passover week; nothing will be open anyway.” With anxiety and fear exposing anger and resentment, as far as he was concerned, nothing was working for his benefit. Nothing. Even if a little boy was right in front of him, offering to him a solution, his negative thoughts and victim mentality would make it impossible for him to see the miracle the boy held in his hands.

Recognizing that, and with a shy smile, the little boy approached one of the men. Unnoticed, he began pulling on the disciple’s clothing.  Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, looked down and saw him. With annoyance, he bellowed, “What now?” The little boy held out his hand and replied, “Mister, here is my lunch.”

Laughingly, Andrew took the lunch and with a snicker, turned to the men falsely proclaiming, “Here is a boy who wants to share his five small barley loaves and two small fish with the crowd. Just how far do you think that will go among so many?”

Before they all carved out a negative path that would become their life, Jesus interrupted and said, “Here, give me his lunch.” Getting down on His hands and knees, He thanked the boy and asked his disciples to sit everyone down in groups of 50, and then he turned to the boy. The boy’s heart was pounding, filling with amazement and joy. With his mouth opened in awe, he looked in astonishment into the smiling eyes of Jesus. He was standing in front of the wonder man who happily received from his open and trembling hands the lunch his mom packed earlier that day;  five loaves and two fish. Out of his abundance and compassion, Jesus served the little boy’s lunch to 5,000 and so many more.  Everyone participated in the experience of the miraculous feeding — and there was more than enough.

There is always enough. We fall into negative traps. I know I do. The more I become aware of these traps, I can attack them and limit their occurrence. Deciding to change directions is the first step. Stand up, literally, and turn to the Lord and with His courage, stomp on the fear hard.  It will dissipate. Especially when you are grateful. You can’t be afraid and grateful at the same time.

Life is short; focus on the endless possibilities God has to offer. Choose to live a proliferate life, knowing there is plenty out there for everyone. Share your resources. Be happy for your fellow man and woman. Give back. Give more of what you want. Although it may sound counterintuitive, one of the best ways to increase your affluence is to give. Don’t feel like you have enough time? Slip away from your obligations, even if just for an hour, to touch someone in need. Don’t feel like you have enough money? Give to someone with less. Be a river, not a reservoir.

In other words, like the little boy, give freely what is in your hand. Jesus can work miracles with what we have.